Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-25
DAY OF THANKS.
FITTINGLY SPENT IN THE NET
R0P0LIS.
Religious Seryices-General Suspension
of Business.

tended
On the streets, as a rule, ii was very
quiet. The sidewalks were crowded as
ever, but the harsh tones Of an average
business day were conspicuously absent
The crowd moved not so fast and with
more regularity. The fellow who was try
ing TO drive a bargain before banking
hours was not to be seen. He was in the
ranks with others and kept his place.
The services at st. Johns, and union ser
vices at the First NJ. E. church and Dodge
Avenue church are reported
ST. JOHNS CHURCH.
The Rev. Charles J. Adams spoke from
the following:
TeXt:-"Do not err, my beloved brethren
Every good and every perfect gift is from
above, and cOmeth down from the Father
OF lights, with whom is no yariableness
neither shadow Of turning"
st. James, 1-16-17.
That in God there is mo variableness,
neither shadow of turning human eXpe-
rience teaches. And man learns more
from experience than many of the philoSo-
piers are willing to admit. BY experience
the child learns one object from another,
and by experience he is able to take the
first step into a new experience. BY eXpe-
rience the human race has learned to de-
pend upon the recurrence of the phenOm-
ena of nature, and what are they and their
recurrence but revelations of God?
This unvariableness of God is taught
also in human nature. Leaving the his
tory of the human race we find that wise
men have always been ready to change
their minds upon the reception
all the facts are in the mire, and the strong
man has always seen his object, and with
mind made up to attain that object, though
from policy he now ana then seems TO
waver he never does in fact, but keeps
right on till he attains it. and if nature is
a manifestation of God is not human ma
ture, its highest form, much more so.
Are nature and human nature revela-
lions of God? He being their author, one
cannot see how they can but be SO. This
does not conflict with the words Of our
text, being revelation, also. The mani
foldly infinite God must be manifoldly
infinite in his revelations of himself. 1t
seems that human experience and Obser-
vation must be supplemented. Though
through untold ages man has been sub
ject to the law of gravitation, 1t took q
specially endowed philosopher to lay hold
of that law and draw it forth and
hold it up to human observation.
Though love had been always the law Of
society. it took the Christ to reveal il 10
man as the law not only of the most Ordi-
nary forms of sOcietS but also of the high
est religion. Though man had always acted
ANONYMOUSLY upon the fact, it to a St.
james to set that fact boldly in human
consciousness in the words: The Father
of light, in whom is no vaTlbleness, neither
shadow of turning"
From what does God never turn? From
the execution of the laws of nature? So
says the scientist. How does he know:
Had some one said ten years ago that today
you could stand here and talk with some
one fifty miles away he would have been
laughed at by science. But the telephone
is a common fact today. May not other
occult laws of nature be brought to light:
May it not some day appear that miracles
are the most natural and logical of things?
Some one may still think
the old thought of an old
theology-that Gods does all things for
his own glory What in this Republican
age would be thought of a father who con
Quoted his own honse for his own glory
who would punish his children for not
rushing towards him and falling upon his
face whenever he appeared?
The truth is that God conducts the uni
verse in the interest of his children. This
is the thought of modern times in the old
church-this is the thought of the great
founder of the church.
Then why do we not have everything
that we want, and as we want it?
1t might not be best for Us. Why do you
compel your child to put down the book that
he is reading when a certain hour has come
and go to bed? Because it is best for him
to do so. May not God know what is best
for us. May he not want us to go without
some things that we may rest and be the
stranger for some other things which are
much more important TO US?
Their rest for our environment is neces-
sary sometimes As we bring in our
meagre crops we should look forward to the
time when the ground having rested, we
Will bring To our barns abundant harvests,
and drive off our acres fat kline instead of
the lean one upon which we now look out.
The soil needs rest as much rs the man
who tills it.
Again, the compliance with our desires
might not be SO good nor so pleasant q
thing for our fellows Had Stonewall
J&ckSon'S prayers been answered fully, or
had those OF some northern saint been fully
answered, barbarian sav2gery would have
been the result. How much more divine
the prayer of Christ in the garden. Not as
/ will. but as Thou wilt the model OF the
only truly religious prayer.
Some think that our sins could figure
here May be they do. Why should we not
be punished for our sins of trangrcSsion.
CINdlull We dIt lpI ONAl SlilS u Oliltll4N~itiA
In region where ii had rained without in
PERMISSION for months ! asked the only
man whose cribs were full of corn how ne
happened to have plenty while his neigh
bors had none. He answered: when the
time came to plow and to plant | did 50.
aided by my sons, though we had to wade
about in boots to our hips " hat does
solomon say He that observeth the
wind shall not sow, and he that regardeth
the clouds shall not reap"
Only he that embodies the truth Of the
text in his life, that with the Father of
Lights is no Variableness. neither shadow
of turning" can be thankful under all cir
CumStances when the sun shines and when
the sleet comes out of a wintry sky. We
are now in the seas. where the storm is
often tumultuouS. We must remember
that the Unseen is filled with the infinite
peace of the Father-"The peace that pass
eth understanding"
AT THE ". E. CHURCH.
Thanksgiving services at the First " E.
Church were in every respect gratifying to
every lover of our country and of God, as
well as a credit 70 the citizens of Wichita.
Although there were at least five other
similar services in the city. the large
auditorium of this church building was
packed with attentive hstners.
On the platform We're seated Rev. DR..
Hobbs. Christian, !. II. Parker. Congre-
cational ". + Harper. Baptist. w.
Eadie, United Presbyterian. !. d. botkin,
presiding elder. NJ T.. J. D. Hewitt, Pres
byterian, I. ). Hodgson, Pastor NJ. E.
Church.
The services were opened by a voluntary
on the grand organ by Mrs. l. \ Craw-
ford. Prayer was offered by Rev. Dr.
Hobbs; the scriptures We're read by Rev.
Mr. Eadie
After this Rev. Hodgson gave few
words commendatorv of the Women's Be
nevolent Home, and said that after the
SINGING of the next hvmn collection for